 "Hello,
and welcome to our references page, where we are happy to share some comments from
a few of the wonderful people who have enjoyed our hospitality in the
past."
|
|
|
David
Jaquith |
Ben,
Thanks
again for the amazing week, I'm still in amazement, but
reality has set in a little as I've been on my own and the
weather hasn't cooperated but I'm doing better than I would be
in the States. I've just included shots from what I now simply
call "Dave's Run" since I believe you have some lake
pictures. I think my favourite is of you packing the the
backpack at the end of a 19 fish, 6 hour run, truly
indescribable! Thanks again for the introduction to fly
fishing the Kiwi way. I'm sold and, God willing, will see you
next year!
Dave,
Wilson, Wyoming, USA (see
Jan 2004 fishing report)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
Dale
Meir |
"In
early March, 2004, my
friend and I spent 3 wonderful days fishing with Ben
Kemp as our guide (and host) on Lake Brunner and on the
nearby Lake Poerua. Be forewarned, if you fish with him,
you will be spoiled for fishing anywhere else or with
anyone else forever. First of all, the fly fishing for
brown trout in Lake Brunner is incredible - in my case
19 trout in one day, all over 2 lbs. Second, he is the
hardest working and most personable guide imaginable. We
stayed with him and his wife in their home and we could
not imagine a more friendly atmosphere (including great
food and wine). Oh to be back! Dale
Meier, Midland, Michigan, USA"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
Don't Move!
“Don’t move, don’t even twitch” Treebeard
murmured. Eight feet away, in about twelve inches of
water, a three and a half pound brown trout warily eyed
the two unfamiliar lumps on the horizon of its small
backwater. After several hundred subjective years, or a
few objective minutes, it slowly resumed its elliptical patrol of the 100 foot long 80
foot wide, slowly moving, backwater on a New Zealand
West Coast river....
Click HERE for
more...
(A story from the summer of
2003,
by Ed Kelliher ©.) |
Going Wild In
The Land Of The Long White Cloud
“You’ll never catch fish in New Zealand by
yourself.” Repeatedly, this was the message I received when
doing my exhaustive homework before setting out Down
Under for the trip of a lifetime. The internet was trawled. I
wanted browns, I wanted the majestic scenery of the
South Island, and I wanted to know how on earth to go
about it....
Click HERE for more...
(A
story from the summer of 2003
by Alistair Eykyn ©) |
|
|
|
Fred N Sutler
"The fishing was
unbelievable! It was the most productive and enjoyable
fishing trip in years thanks to Ben Kemp and his wonderful
wife and fantastic cook Petchara. This was even better than the Salmon and
Sea-trout fishing trip that we did in 2001 at Vikedal river in Norway.
A total of 32 wild Brown Trout
over 1Kg in 5 days fishing was fantastic and I hope to go again as soon as
I get a chance."
Fred
N. Sutler
Bayu-Undan
Gas Recycle Project
Phone
+618 9278 5718 Fax +618 9278 4992
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cliff
Walker, Mapleton, Oregon
"Last October (2002) I
celebrated my 70th birthday with a fly-fishing trip to New Zealand. I
found a website for the Kingfisher Lodge on Lake Brunner and ended up
spending a week with my host and guide, Ben Kemp. I'm a complete amateur
at fly fishing, but Ben promised he'd teach and I'd catch. He was sure
right!!! I caught big brown trout the same afternoon that I landed in New
Zealand and every day after that -- a total of something over 30 fish for
the week."
"I've fished all my life and known a few guides, but I can
truthfully say that I've never met anyone who worked harder at making a
great trip. Wish he was closer -- I'd make it an annual trip."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Farrel
& Kahn Hobbs
(to
someone else, on his trip to NZ)
"My son Kahn sent me the web site in which
you list his comments to you as a
reference. I want to tell you that I have been
spreading the word around this part of
Colorado, USA that I recommend you as a source of information.
Kahn planned our trip to
New Zealand based almost exclusively on your recommendations, and we
had a wonderful trip. So wonderful that we often think of a return
visit, both now and with my Grandsons when they are a bit older.
(Kahn's son Davis is one, so we have a bit of time to wait for that
trip.)"
"I also want to tell
you that your recommendation that Kahn and I visit Ben
Kemp at the Kingfisher Lodge was priceless advice. I have
been with many guides, and none of them are in the
same class as Ben. We had some tough fishing days
with him, because of weather conditions. However, Ben and his family made
even the worst fishing days memorable. We finally caught a good number
of trout of excellent size and condition, mostly on the last day. You
can see a picture of Kahn with
a trout on one of our less productive days on Ben's web site. My thanks to
you for your help."
Farrel Hobbs 4727 West 101st. Place,
Westminster, Colorado USA, 80031 Ph: (303) 469-3247
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
Fletcher and Haley, San Diego,
CA USA |
 |
"What more can
two ask for...A beautiful day in New Zealand while Trout fishing!"
|
 |
"The
hospitality and food were amazing. Couldn't of asked for more!!! Thanks
again!" |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
Sandy & Rick Callahan and Friends
|
"My family and another
family (9 people all together, including 5 kids under 13) had the pleasure
of spending a day fishing with Ben and his brother Darcy
on
|
our recent trip to New Zealand.
It was definitely one of the highlights
of our trip (the avid fishermen in our group agree it was THE highlight!)
I'm sure it wasn't easy to come up with a plan to entertain our group
that kept everyone happy, but they did a great job of it. Some of us fished in the river, while others fished in the lake, and
some went for a swim. They arranged everything for
us and had a "camp" set up for the day. We
all had a fabulous day and the freshly caught and cooked trout was a
bonus!"
Sandy
Callahan (62)
542-738039
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello
Ben.
My fishing stay
with you was the highlight of my trip. The fishing was great and your company
was just as good. I will surely recommend you to anyone I know coming to New
Zealand.
Keep in touch."
Joe
Kinker,
20 Ellerman Road, Lake Saint Louis, MO 63367 USA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 |
KC Mueller, Honolulu, Hawaii
"I traveled to New Zealand just to catch some of South
Island's famous Brown trout. I had no idea that my guide, Ben Kemp, would
provide me much more than just a fishing experience.
|
Of course, the fishing was
excellent, thanks to Ben's intimate knowledge of the lakes and rivers. When I
departed New Zealand, I had a week of wonderful fishing and wildlife memories
that only someone like Ben could provide me. Ben was more than a guide, he was a
wonderful companion!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
Norman & Bunny Hawkins
We had a wonderful week fishing with Ben Kemp! We
liked the diversity of the fishing that you offered - from drift fishing
to sight and wading fishing.
|
|
The accommodations were very comfortable and you are a good cook! Enjoyed
your company and good luck in the future.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter
Arnold
The photos
bring back memories of a great and varied session of fishing in New Zealand with
you, one hope we can do again sometime. In that day and a half we fished for
kawahai, spent a good two hours casting into the lake banks, three hours on the
Crooked with the drift boat, an hour or so fishing from shore, another two-plus
hours working along the shore line, and probably three hours on the Arnold -
plus getting a look at the nuke sub of a brown under the bridge! You gave us a
lot of good time, and the fact that we didn't bring any trout to the net was
certainly not through any lack on your part of trying to put us where they
should have been. Next time, next time....
And we so appreciated the trip by car over Arthur's
Pass with you. . In all a wonderful time, and for me one of the real highlights
of our trip to New Zealand!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin & Laura Noble, Sydney, Australia
"That
had to be just the best holiday, we are both still raving about it!"
 |
|
Kevin & Laura Noble, in the Boyle
River, North Canterbury |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pete & Immi
Shea, Gulf Shores, Florida
"This is the third trip to NZ, and once
again the team gave us a holiday to remember! We both
caught some big brown trout, and enjoyed some exciting duck hunts."
 |
Immi Shea, Cashmere Bay, Lake
Brunner - a 3lb brown trout! |
|
|
